Help, My Baby Goes to Bed Too Early and Wakes Too Early

Hi M.- My daughter started doing the same thing about a month ago. So we gave her a nap about around 6:30pm and then woke her up at 7:00 then she went to bed at 8 and now sleeps from 8pm-8am. It didn't take her very long to get on the schedule. I think we only woke her up maybe 4 times.

Actually, that is pretty normal for her age. Her schedule will change again soon. Babies' sleep needs change every few months.
I was always a big believer in allowing a sleepy child to sleep unless it is a real problem (such as the need to work around Mommy's work schedule)Their little bodies seem to know what they need and when they need it.
Also, when they are going through a growth spurt, they will sleep more.

When she is ready for bed at 6pm let her take a 30 min nap max then wake her up. She will be ready to play for a little bit and then be ready to go down at 8-9pm. My daughter is 10 months old and we have done this often when her afternoon schedule gets messed up. And it works every time. Like us sometime they just need a refresher (cat nap) to get them till bed time. This should put her back on her schedule. Or you can make her take an afternoon nap. Just put her in the crib and let her cry herself to sleep. It should take no more than 15 mins especially if she is tried and just fighting sleep.

I went through this with my son with his first time change. My only suggestion is that you try keeping her up longer and longer until she's back on her regular napping schedule. It'll be tough but if you hang in there and keep at it, she'll be on her normal schedule in a couple of weeks.

Just try whatever you can to keep her up until 8 or 9. It will take some work but she'll get used to it. When I brought my daughter home from the hospital she thought days were nights, and nights were days. It took about 3 weeks to get her schedule turned around. We went as far as bouncing her on our knees to keep her awake!! It finally stuck and she slept through the night at 3 weeks!! Good luck!

Wow...I'm trying to remember when my son was 6 months old...I do know for a fact that a 6 month old should be sleeping 13-15 hours in a 24-hr period. If she is giving up an afternoon nap, that's not good. When my son started sleeping through the night, as your daughter is, for 10 hours (from 8 to 6), he got the rest of his sleep in the way of a morning nap at 10 (for about an hour) and an afternoon nap at 2 (for about 2 hours). There were times when his schedule would get screwed up, especially around the time changes and holidays, but I would push up the time he napped and went to bed at night by 15 minutes intervals every day until he was back on track. We took away the morning nap when he just wouldn't fall asleep within a half-hour's time. But we kept his afternoon nap until he was almost 3. He still doesn't take many naps(he's 4 now)...he just won't fall asleep. But he sleeps from 8 to 7 pretty much every night. I hope trying the 15 minute intervals will help, and hopefully you can get her on a better napping schedule too. Good luck!

my son did the same thing, and it's SO hard to keep them up later. i would try an "outing" of some kind, even taking her to walmart in the evening, to keep her stimulated and awake. take snacks if she eats them (crackers or cheerios) and maybe she'll wait to fall asleep till you're in the car? i've done the mall too. or maybe invite some company over in the evening. if it was warmer weather i'd try taking her for an evening walk, i hate that it's getting so cold. just some thoughts. good luck!

My 7 month old goes to bed at 7:00 every night. He has done so since he was about 4 months. He slept until 4 or 5 am., I would then nurse him and he would go back to sleep until 8:30 or 9! He now gets up to eat around 6 am and gets up for good around 8:30 or 9.
He also takes 3 naps ( one around 10 am, 2 pm., 4:30). They say the more sleep they get, the more they want!

I would suggest doing a little mini nap around 6..no longer than 30 minutes and then let her be awake for a bit. Ending the day at 6 seems early...and that way she would sleep in later.
Or just give it some time. My son is still not adjusted to the time change. It has been rough...but it's not 4am either! Or slowly push back her bedtime day by day.

There are some things you can do to change a babies sleep schedule. It will take some time but you basically move her schedule back 10-15 minutes every night until you get her to the schedule you want. Check out babycenter.com they have a lot of information on sleep for each age group. I think I even remember seeing this question on there.

Go buy the book "Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child". I started following this book when my twins were 6 months old. They are great sleepers - they go to bed at 7pm and don't make a sound (unless sick) until 7am and are taking a 3 hour afternoon nap. I had a mom recommend this book to me and now I live by and recommend it to other moms.

http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Child/dp...

maybe it would work to let her sleep at 5 or 6 pm for an hour power nap then have her go to sleep again around 9 pm and she may sleep until 6 or 7 am. You will just have to try differen't times but sounds like she isn't going to make it without some sort of sleep until bedtime in the evenings so see how early she will take an hour nap and go from there. She may even be tired enough to take a nap at 4 or 5:00 but don't let her take a long nap that late in the evening.

If she dont cry at 6am dont go get her until she cries for you. Let her stay in her crib, good chance she may fall back to sleep. If you know she gets tired around 7-8 maybe sit on the floor with her and do some activities with her, stimulate her for a bit and prolong nap until later in the day about 10am.

Good Luck

I would suggest you lay her down for her second nap. My son didn't give up his afternoon nap till he was 18 months old. If he didn't get that second nap he was out by 6 or 7 and I would have the same problem you are having. Good luck.